Hidden Signals
Production Episode: 9 Date: February 24, 1972 Time: Musical Director: Vocals: Choreography: Producer: Peter Whitmore Director: Writer: Chris Boucher Episode Dave plays a clueless police officer, Michael is a repairman and then both of them are cowboys in opening sketches. In the opening, Dave reminds the audience that smoking and drinking is not allowed although he freely does so on stage. He then explains his hidden signals and covert gestures to the producer off-stage. Following sketches involve men in a duel of honor, Rodriguez asks for proof of God, two assassins catch each other in each others cross hairs and another sketch has another duel of honor. Dave then talks about inventions and implants before a series of sketches about inventions. Dave recalls the importance of a good book to introduce sketches around literary characters such as Long John Silver, Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, Rapunzel and the Count of Monte Cristo. Another story involves an entertainer behind bars while following sketches involves a judge and his perpetrator, a men's club, a distracted guards and Michael and Ronnie as bungling thieves. Dave starts a chat about women followed by a man in love with his suddenly female doctor and King Richard back from the Holy Land. A few comments about God are followed by sketches at the expense of the Catholics and the cremation of an actor. Closing the show, Dave ends with the stories of the Sand Man and Scissor Men and a closing sketch with a woman terrified by her husband during Hand and Seek. Highlights * Robin Hood and his arrow around corners * Dave gets a backstage voice he thinks is God * The wall comes down on Monte Cristo * King Richard leaves his key in Jerusalem * Dave's Hide and Seek sketch Cast * Dave Allen * Michael Sharvell-Martin * Jacqueline Clarke * Peter Hawkins * Simon Barnes Quotes * Dave Allen - "Booze - what it gives to you one week it takes away the next!" Trivia * In another episode, Dave named the off-beat priest he frequently plays as Father William O'Flaherty. His other recurring characters include Rodriguez the Great Escape Artist, James the Trusty Butler, Robin Hood, King Arthur, Sherlock Holmes, and Tarzan with Jacqueline Clarke as Jane and Michael Sharvell Martin as Little John or Dr. Watson to his Robin and Holmes. * Robin Hood is a semi-historical figure (1160-1247) whose exploits were the basis of several tales beginning with "A Lytell Geste of Robyn Hode" in 1510 and reaching to modern literature and motion pictures. It's believed the original story was based on the tale of Robert Fitztooth, 12th Century Earl of Huntingdon who had escaped his debts by retiring into a solitary existence in the woods. Other scholars believe there was not just one Robin Hood, but several whose stories merged to one. * One of Dave's favorite recurring characters is Tarzan from the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel, "Tarzan the Ape-Man." Sequence * Last Episode: Superstitions * Next Episode: The Secret of Life ---- Category:Episodes Category:Dave Allen Episodes Category:1972 Episodes